Display device



Novu 7, 1944. c. J. QUILL 2,362,157

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1942 INVENTDR C RLES d /z/JLL,

ATTDRN Patented Nov. '7, 1944 Ulurriol STATES PATENT orrlcs DISPLAY DEVICE Charles J. Quill, San FranciscmCalif. Application January 5, 1942, Serial No. 425,656

(CL I0-130) 2 ClaimsD is the provision of an improved means for removably and adjustably holding the inert gas lled tubes forming the indicia, said means comprising a frame having an insulated face and a plurality of adjustably 4held bars forming adjustable slots capable of holding the indicia against said face, whereby the indicia is illuminated due to the proximity of the same to the inductive field produced by an oscillating transmitter provided within the frame, or otherwise electrically connected.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of angular bars for receiving the tubes, and to resiliently hold the bars against the face of the frame, whereby the indicia forming tubes are resiliently retained in a removable position.

Another object of the invention is to construct each of the indicia forming tubes of transparent material, such as a suitable glass, and to equip each tube with a foot portion that is preferably integrally formed with the glass tube, but which if desired can be a separate member and can be cemented or otherwise xed thereto, said foot portion capable of being secured into the slot formed by the angular bar and the face of the frame and capable of holding the indicia portion of the tube, above the bar.

An additional objectl of the invention is the production of a display device that is economical to manufacture. most durable, and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description:

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specifi-cation and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal side elevational view of one type of frame, showing certain indicia members thereon and disclosing the bars for holding the 'indicia members against the face of the frame;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2*-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the improved resiliently controlled means for removabl'y and adjustably holding the indicia members in position;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of one of the indicia members, having an integrally formed foot capable of fitting into the slot formed by the angular bar, and adapted to hold the indicia member above the bar;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of indicia member that has a separate foot cemented or otherwise secured thereto; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a plurality of inductors that are positioned on the inside faces oi the frame.

Referring to the drawing the numeral il designates a frame proper that is preferably a housing having a pair of thin opposite sides lll and I2 that are formed of any suitable electric in sulating material, each side carrying a pair of angular shaped bars it and I5 respectively, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be noted that the angular bars are supported onto said sides through the medium of a plurality of elongated bolts i6 that extend horizontally through the bars inside, each of the bolts having a coiled spring Il, a' washer i8, and a nut i9, whereby the bars are resiliently held in their normal positions.

Reinforcing members 2li are fixed to the inner faces of the sides to afford a greater bearing support to the bolts. Suitable cushion elements 2l are positioned against each inner back face ofthe angular bars to increase the resiliency applied against the indicia members 22. The cushion elements Zt are in the form of suitable elongated rubber strips or tubings and can be made of any other semi-flexible or resilient material that will serve the purpose of the invention. The indicia members 22 are preferably formed of glass tubing and are filled with inert gas, whereby different colors are displayed when the tubes are illuminated. Each indicia member is formed with a foot 23 that is preferably an integral part of the tubing. as shown in Fig. 4, or can be a separate shoe 24 that is made of different material and is cemented to the indicia member, as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that a slot must be provided, and said slot is formed between the elongated cushion member and the side facing the frame. Said slot is capable of receiving the shoe 23 that is supported onto the lower inner horizontal face of the angular bar, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The indicia member 22 will thus be resiliently held in a removable position against the side face of the frame where it is illuminated.

`The said indicia, which are formed by inert gas lled tubes, is illuminated by radio frequency waves produced by a conventional oscillating transmitter 25, positioned within the housing 9.

Metallic inductors :s and 21 irc positioned against the inner faces of the insulation sides I and i2, respectively, and are connected to the oscillating transmitter 2B by conductors 28 and 29. The numeral 30 indicates a power line that is connected to the oscillating transmitter and is provided with a conventional switch Il, as shown in Fig. 2.

assale? curing said -bars to the insulated side portions and for resilientiy clamping the indicia tubes against said portions, said means comprising a From the foregoing it will be readily observed that an unique display device has been produced which will illuminate the sas nlled tubes in various colors, when the said tubes are positioned on the angular bars and within the inductive held, due to the inductive principle involved. said tubes having no wire contacts as conventionally used on neon signs and being changeable to any description or advertisement that may be desired.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing, from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A device of the character described embodying in its construction, a housing having an electrically insulated side portion, metallic inductors positioned against the inner face thereof, an anguiar shaped bar positioned against the outer face of said insulated side portion, a plurality of indicia forming inert gas tubes supported onto said angular shaped bar, each of said indicial forming inert gas tubes having an integral foot portion capable of being received into the angular portion of the bar, means for reslliently seinsulated side portions,

spring on one side of said insulated portions and a resilient cushioning element in said angular bar on the other side of said portions engaging said tubes and urging the same against the said insulated portion, and an oscillating transmitter positioned within the housing whereby the indicia forming inert gas tubes are illuminated.

2. A device of the character described embodyit in its construction, a housing having electric metallic inductors positioned against the inner faces thereof, a plural`= ity of angular shaped bars positioned against the outer faces of the insulated side portions, a plurality of indicia forming inert gas tubes supported onto said bars, each of said tubes having a foot portion capable of being received into the angular portion of the bars, resilient means for holding the bars against the faces of the insulated sides, to retain the indicia forming tubes in aremovable position, said means comprising elongated bolts secured to said angular bars and projecting through the insulated side portions into the interior of said housing, abutments on said bolts within the housing, spring surrounding the inner ends of the bolts and interposed between the abutments and insulated side portions to resiliently urge the bars thereagainst, a cushioning element carried by said bars and engaging the outer faces of the indicia forming tubes to resiliently clamp the tubes against the side portions and an oscillating transmitter positioned within the housing, whereby the indicia forming tubes are illuminated.

CHARLES J. QUILL 

